Weather and Landscape
Days have been windy this month, helping cool down the temperatures which sometimes rise to 44°C. The breeze is pushing clouds overhead and helping the false mopane trees drop their yellow leaves. The rains have not yet come.

The tree foliage is now all green, with most of the trees flowering too. The silver-leafed terminalia are attracting buzzing insects and the red seeds from the false mopane are a delight for the vervet monkeys and Bradfield's Hornbills.

The area around Davison's is still dry and most of the animals are browsing rather than grazing as the grass is becoming unpalatable. Most of the natural waterholes have been turned to mud pools where elephant do their wallowing. The game viewing at these waterholes is great as animals take turns to come and drink to moisten dry grasses on which they feed. Geophagia (the deliberate eating of soil and clay) is at its best as elephant and other animals are seen supplementing their mineral intake.

Wildlife
Sightings have been exceptional this month. The so-called 'Big Five' were all seen on one game drive! There is certainly more to see in the Linkwasha Concession though, than this overused collective phrase for lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo.

With the introduction of rhino to the area, our safaris are getting more and more enjoyable. Our best day of the month was the 13th, when we saw 26 different mammal species.

A pack of African wild dog is frequenting the waterhole in front of Davison's Camp. We think they are concentrating on duiker and other medium-sized antelope as they look well fed, and there are no impala around, a preferred prey for the species. Solitary roan antelope bulls have come to drink at Ostrich Pan and bigger herds have been spotted in the area. Rhino have been seen a number of times - one of the bulls has been seen stepping out with the two recently introduced females!

Birding
Migratory birds are slowly making their way back to us. Wahlberg's Eagles are regularly seen, especially at the waterholes. The resident Arnott's Chat were also seen again, fledged some chicks and then disappeared for about two weeks before coming back without the chicks. As territorial as they are, it's possible that the pair wanted to raise their young in a different area.

Guest Comments
- "Loved the people and the animals. The staff and guides worked very hard to make sure everything was perfect." Kathleen J, USA
- "The people and wildlife. The entire experience! The visit exceeded all of our expectations." Nancy & David, USA

Camp Staff
Nelly Chinyere, Belinda Botha, Thembelani Sibanda, Douglas Muyambo and Theunis Botha.